


Rhythm of the Heart

by CrystalNavy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace and Robin have similar experiences, Ace and Robin start out as villains, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crocodile bashing, Crocodile is an asshat, F/M, Flowers, Spandam bashing, bounty hunter!Ace, but they still end up as members of their respective crews, protection from the Government
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 15:56:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16308212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: Two people in similar situations find solace in one another.





	1. Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An invitation is given.

Miss All Sunday had always been someone who paid attention to details. Both big and small ones. 

Right now, her audience were several defeated agents. As the second-in-command of Baroque Works, it was her responsibility to dismiss and hire new agents. From what she could gather, all of the agents were defeated by a man who went by the name of Fire Fist Ace. That got Robin thinking. If she could get this man to join the organization, it would be even more successful. Someone who could single-handedly defeat multiple agents was bound to be strong.

She had to figure out a way to inform Crocodile of her idea and have it be accepted. Fortunately, she was good at the art of persuasion. The door opened swiftly, and her partner, Mr.0 - Crocodile - joined her in the room. 

"Report." Crocodile ordered

And so she told him everything, from what the former agents told her, to her idea of tracking down and offering the possible membership of their organization to Fire Fist Ace. Crocodile was nodding to her suggestion.

"You have my approval." he told her "Find him and offer him membership. Bring whoever you deem would be suitable enough for this task along with you."

And then he was out. There was nothing left indicating he was even there. Robin's lips turned upwards in a smile. This was one of things she liked about her partner and boss. She thought carefully about who to bring along, and decided on three agents.

-x-

When Robin laid eyes on Fire Fist Ace for the first time, she knew that her world would never be the same again.

The man in question wore a plain yellow shirt, a pair of brown pants, and his head was covered with a bright orange hat. His black hair reached down to his neck, and his smile was brighter than the sun itself. But the thing that grabbed her attention the most were his eyes. Those eyes reminded her of her own, full of pain and loneliness. Something must have happened - something bad - for his eyes to look like that. Baroque Works were even better fit for him than she initially realized. Briefly, she wondered what happened to him, but decided not to pry. It was his business, and he would tell her if and when he was inclined to do so.

She mulled over on how best to approach him. Ultimately, she decided to wing it. She discarded her 'official attire' as well as her cowboy hat, and approached him in the guise of a concerned civilian, complete with 'accidentally' bumping into him, causing the 'groceries' she was carrying to spill. She made a show of trying to pick them up, and wasn't that suprised when he knelt down beside her and helped her in picking everything up.

"Thank you." she said in sincere tone

"No problem." he told her politely "I just did what was the right thing to do."

"You look like you're a pirate." she observed 

"A Pirate Captain." he corrected, giving her a charming smile "Spade Pirates are my crew."

He gestured at the four men and one woman standing behind him. There was also something that looked like a lynx, but she wasn't sure.

"Masked Deuce, Aggie 68, Mihar, Saber, Cornelia and Kotatsu." Ace introduced "We have been together for four years now."

Robin noticed that Masked Deuce was observing her warily, like someone would do to a possible threat. 

It was at dinner time that she found out why. Some low-life thugs had decided to interrupt their dinner, and while Robin could have taken them on her own, she didn't. She wanted to see how Ace would handle this kind of situation. And what he did suprised her.

He stood up and faced the thugs, unarmed.

"What if the Pirate King had a child?" Ace asked the thugs with a small frown on his face

That caught Robin by suprise. She heard rumors about the possibility of Pirate King having a wife and a child, but that possibility had been nipped in the bud, or so the newspapers said. And yet, there had to be a reason Ace wanted to know. Either the child somehow survived or the rumors about the Marines hunting them down in the first place had been fabricated. She supposed that she shouldn't have been so suprised. After all, the Government often altered or hid the truth from the public in order to make themselves look better.

"The Pirate King's child?" the thug repeated "That kid shouldn't exist, and if they did, they should die in the most humiliating manner possible." 

She watched as Ace's temper flared up. She glanced at the Spade Pirates, and all five of them had melancholic expressions on their faces. Ace brought one of the thugs down and moved onto the next. Robin attempted to stand up in order to help him out, but Deuce kept her from doing so. There were two possibilities: either Ace himself is the child in question, or one of his crew-members is.

"It's Ace." Deuce whispered into her ear "Few people know of this, and it shall remain this way. If we find out you've blabbered, we'll kill you without hesitation."

Robin had to smile. They were a loyal bunch, and if there was something she could appreciate, it was loyalty.

"Sorry that took longer than usual." Ace sat back down, apologizing in the process "Now, why don't you tell us the real reason you approached us?"

"As a matter of fact." Robin smiled "I would like to recruit all of you into my organization, Baroque Works, and if what I've been told is true, I think it would be beneficial for you to accept."


	2. Monthly gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baroque Works agents have an important tradition. Once per month, they gather to get to know new members and to gossip about things.
> 
> Meanwhile, Robin contemplates things and Crocodile gives new orders.

"Right." Miss Goldenweek smiled "Apparently, I am to help you learn the ropes, and one of the essential things you have to know about is our monthly gathering."

"What do you do during monthly gathering?" Deuce was the one who asked, in his Captain's stead

"You're about to find out." Miss Goldenweek put a finger to her lips "Mr. 0 and Miss All Sunday don't know, and for a good reason too. If you would follow me....."

She led them down a dreary tunnel, and then they climbed upwards, till they found themselves in a bar. Many people were gathered there, seated around various tables.

"Baroque works agents!" Miss Goldenweek announced "I've brought the newbies!"

This declaration was met with the delighted hollering, as everyone stood up and gathered around them.

"I am glad. This is the first interesting thing that has happened to us in months!" a man who looked awfully girly lamented "I am Mr. 2, or Bon Kurei, but you can also call me Bentham!"

"And this is my partner, Mr. 3." Miss Goldenweek pointed at the elderly gentleman who had joined them "Why don't you show them your art, Mr. 3?"

Mr. 3 nodded, and created a replica of Kotatsu made out of wax, prompting his partner to squeal in delight.

"So cute......" she cooed

At that point, the real Kotatsu made its way over, and Miss Goldenweek wasted no time in attempting to pet it, and failing miserably.

"Sorry." Ace apologized "Kotatsu isn't very sociable. He doesn't trust humans because of what they did to him. He only trusts us because we rescued him from captivity."

"I wish to know who those people are." Miss Goldenweek said darkly "I would love to give them a taste of my color traps."

After that, things got relatively quiet. Ace and his crew were shown to an empty table and seated, as the other members began whispering to one another all around them. Then, Bentham made his way over to them and took a seat in an empty chair.

"What are they doing?" Ace asked him

"Gossiping." Bentham said exuberantly "On the Grand Line, there are plenty of things to gossip about. By the way, are you strong, and do you have any special skills?"

"I like to think that I am." Ace shrugged "And I have eaten the Flame-Flame fruit."

"That's one of the rarest Logias in the world." Bentham whispered in awe, pulling out a booklet titled 'Devil Fruits of the world' seemingly out of nowhere "This says it's one of the strongest two. I am a Devil Fruit eater myself, so this comes in handy."

"I'd like to think that we who didn't eat a Devil Fruit can be strong too." Miss Goldenweek sat down beside them "Take the Living Legend, for instance. He sure didn't get as strong as he is by relying on Devil Fruit power. In fact, he doesn't have one at all."

Ace raised an eyebrow. Those who knew to fight without Devil Fruit powers were even more of a rarity.

"Dracule Mihawk." Miss Goldenweek said in response to his unspoken question "He is hailed as the greatest swordsman in the world, and for a good reason too. Those who get strong with the aid of Devil Fruits are powerful, but those who reach the peak without Devil Fruits are the ones who are truly strong. This is what I believe.

-x-

Flames danced in the area, creating a fascinating spectacle for the viewers to enjoy. Viewers in this case consisted of Mr. 3, Mr. 2, Miss Goldenweek, ex-Spade Pirates and Robin, all of whom were watching with rapt attention. Finally, the show ended.

"That was great, Captain!" Deuce whistled

"Thanks, I have tried." Ace grinned, placing his hat back onto his head "What's with the commotion?"

He pointed out a crowd which was gathering nearby.

"It appears that Miss Wednesday has returned. She is well-liked among us in Baroque Works." Miss Goldenweek informed "Boss suspects that she is a traitor."

-x-

Traitor.

The word rolled around inside Robin's brain.

Crocodile knew that Miss Wednesday is one, but what he didn't know was that the same was true for Robin herself. Especially now that Fire Fist Ace had joined. For some reason, she wanted to keep him from getting his hands dirty.......keep him from becoming adept at killing. Most likely because she saw herself in him. Saw the way she used to be when Ohara still existed in him. 

If she had to choose between Ace's life and Mr. 0's orders, she would always choose the former. She knew that much.

For now, though, she would observe, and take action as needed.

It was what she did best, after all.

The doors opened and Crocodile entered, giving her a contemplative look.

"You have gotten rusty lately." Crocodile remarked "I wonder why?"

Robin said nothing. 

"I see." Crocodile frowned "You'd better pull yourself together, or I will remove the source of your weakness, permanently."

The doors closed behind him, and Robin sighed in relief.

She needed to keep herself from getting too attached. Otherwise, Crocodile would kill Ace. He made that clear.

-x-

Crocodile fed a limb to his pets.

"My partner is getting sloppy." he spoke to the air "Other than her, you are my most trusted agents. If she messes up again, I want Fire Fist and his crew killed alongside Nefertari Vivi."

"As you wish, Mr. 0." Mr 1, otherwise known as Daz Bones, said.

"After all, assassinating people is our specialty." Miss Doublefinger, otherwise known as Paula, saluted

"Dismissed." Crocodile said

Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger left quietly, closing the door behind them.


End file.
